River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-02-24

I fON AAdht any EcelStaUCe, 4
went on, Il will stick this dagger into
your throat; you understand"
He evidently did understand, for,
I though L exercised great caution. he
gave no signs of activity to justify il.
/ bound him with severe compression,
with the cords he had brought himself
into the cellar. / gagged him effect
lively, and having made his fastenings
\ dOubly secure, l set him in the midst OF
Hardy's grave. and, taking with me his
I dagger and the bunch of keys, L ex-
tinguished the light and left the vault,
I locking its owner in.
Two more doors l had to open-one
at the foot of a flight of stairs, the
other at the top. but the key was APP
parently master-key, and all doors
I yielded TO it. UnObserved l emerged
into the passage. and hastily and safely
I reached my own room.
Ere had time to collect myself, a
knock came at the door.
WHO is THEREOF
"If you please, sir, let me in for a
minute. said a wOman's voice, which
Z sounded like Mrs. Hardy's.
who is it?"
Mrs. Hardy, sir"
l had no reason to doubt the woman,
and | opened the door. She was alone
and seemed considerably agitated.
"Oh, sir, Miss Mary! They're going
( 10 send her away"
Away Where?'
To the Continent, sir-to Germany.
I SAID I'd help you. sir, but if you once
let her go you'll never see her again !"
when Is this 10 be?''
This very night"
who Is going 70 take her?"
That PlOwitZ. She is to be- taken
away from here in carriage az an in
valid. and if you can't stop or follow
the carriage it will be all up, for don't
know which way they are going; and
you must mind what you do, for there's
a telephone from the house 20 the lodge,
and Grimes he wouldn't stick at moth
ing, no more than my poor man
would.
had no time to form any plan. Ny
only idea was to follow the carriage by
any means unobserved by the enemy,
until could call for assistance in some
public place.
Miss Mary sent you this. sir" said
Mrs Hardy. holding out small and
crumpled piece of notepaper.
On it was family pencilled:
"They are going to carry me aa0ay To-
night For Gods sake, saUe ma!
pressed the note to my lips, and
glanced with satisfaction at the long
shining blade of the captured dagger.
For stabbing PlOwitz. or cutting the
traces. that knife would be equally use
full.
A slight cry from Mrs.
Hardy caused me to look up,
and met the gaze of PlOwitz himself.
He looked pale. hooking. malicious.
Mrs. Hard :" he said, s.you are
scarcely discreet. Didn't you know
what a dangerous young man this is,
who pretends he cannot see. and yet
keeps his eyes 50 wide open. Co..
Mrs. Hardy, with look of caution at
me quickly disappeared.
Il viii keep my eyes open now, Herr
PlOwitz." l answered hastily; land l
will not shut them till see Miss For
tescue in place Of safety, where she
viii be in no danger from bullies aud
kidnappcrSt'
MIR. CoplestOne, YOU are very mao
very mad indeed. Mrs. Hardy has
been -ossiping | suppose?"
she has told me that Miss Fortescue
i going to be carried off tonight"
Carried off And suppose that Miss
FOrteScue is about o leave England,
may | ask, dear COplestone. what the
devil that has got to do with yOu?"
You may know. and YOU shall
know. II has everything to do with
me, because l choose to forbid it''-he
smiled like a Gilman an-.and l for
bid it because she has appealed to me
for protection, And | showed him the
little note
He became paler still.
You forget your position here" he
said quite calmly. You are dismissed.
and believe. between ourselves, that
YOU will be prosecuted for obtaining
your situation here under false preten-
ses. could not allow my fulccc to Le
gnder any obligation to a swindler!''
SFoueup 10 hlul. 4lOateu over MN
for a moment. / raised my arm. saw
a strange look of fear in his hateful
face. He sprang back, and shouted for
help. Full between the eyes he should
have it. The look of fear gave way to
a sudden CLEAN of relief, and l was
nearly strangled by a strong, hard arm
thrown around my neck from behind.
The blow fell harmless on the air, and
in a second l was securely piniOned.
Then | was blindfolded. and bound,
without seeing anything of my aggres-
sOrs.
NV doubts were solved to some ex-
tent by the Basilisk'S voice saying, in
the tone Of the housewife giving direct
ions for the bestowal of furniture:
Take him to the north tower" / was
carried up and down several short
flights of steps, and along passages, and
then up some twenty steps. A door
was unlocked. l was carried into a
room. laid helpless upon a bed, the
door was double-locked upon me, and ]
was once more prisoner.
To BE CONTINUED.